Means for locking protective covers of rotating picking cylinders or the like



Jan. 31, 1923. 1,658,020

E. H. MARBLE MEANS FOR LOCKING PROTECTIVE COVERS OF ROTATING PICKING CYLINDERS OR THE LIKE Filed July 5. 1925 20 fig. & fig 4.

Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES l,6lii8,020

PATENT. OFFICE.

EDWIN H. MARBLE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A$SIGNOR TO CURTIS do MARBLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 01E MAS- SACHUSETTS.

MEANS FOR LOCKING PROTECTIVE COVERS OF ROTATING PICKING CYLINDERS OE THE LIKE.

Application filed. July 3, 1925. Serial No. A18.

This invention relates to a novel means for securing and controlling, automatically, hood-fastening devices for high speed revolving parts. i

5 In certain classes of machines such as pickers for textile fibre, beaters, rag-cutters and other machines which em loy rapidly revolving toothed cylinders, splked beaters, or similar dangerous partsyit is customary to protect such parts by, a lift-able hood, hinged cover, or similar guard; and it 1s desirable, as a matter of safety, to prevent release of the cover retaining catches, or access to the swiftly rotating toothed cylinder or beater, while the machine is in full operation; but to permit ready access thereto when the machine is idle.

The object of my present invention is to provide a simple, convenient and eflicient means applicable to picker machines, or the like, for retaining the cover or hood in closed relation and automatically locking the retaining means while the cylinder, or revolving member is in rapid motion, but

' releasing the locking control While the cylinder is not revolving.

A further object is to provide an efiicient inexpensive device of the class specified, adapted to be readily applied to picker machines thatare now in service, as well as to new machines.

These objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings and explainedin the following description; the particular subject matter claimed being definitely expressed in the summary.

In the accompanying drawing (one sheet) Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating my invention as applied for use in connection with a picker machine; Fig. 2 is a front view of the same; Fig. 3 is a detached end view of the cam member or bossed collar as made in thimble form. Fig. 4 isa central section of same; Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe attaching bracket showing its top plate slotted as a guide for the catch lever; and Fig. 6 shows a modification in the form of catch.

Referring to the drawings. A indicates the stationary part or frame of a machine; B the liftable cover or hood, hinged to the frame at a, or otherwise arranged; C the revolvable picking cylinder; and D the shaft or axle of the cylinder, journaled to turn in bearings upon the frame and operated by belt on pulley E, or by other approved means; usually at a speed of from 600 ,to 800 revolutions per minute, more or less. The above designated parts may be of usual or preferred construction.

a 2 indicates a suitable upwardly outstanding supporting bracket preferably consisting of an upwardly outstanding member having a transversely disposed internally chambered head and an offset laterally-seating foot with means for its rigid attachment to the body or frame of a picker-machine, as by bolts 3 3, through its seating part.

. 4- indicates a plate attached to the littable cover B and having a projecting lug or stud 5 fixed therein for engaging the catch.

16 indicates a handled lever pivotally tulcrumed at 7, upon the bracket 2, and having at its upper part an offset nose 8, or means for latching engagement with the stud 5 for retaining the cover B closed.

Numeral 10 indicates a controller element preferablyconsisting of an endwise movable bar slidably arranged direct through the upper chambered end of the bracket 2, in radial relation to the axis of the cylinder axle, and with its outer end impinging against the lever 6, at a position between the tulcrumand the engaging upper end of the lever, its inner end being provided with a suitably rounded head or surface 11. Within the bracket, which is best formed with a space or chamber 13, there is an expanding coil spring 15 surrounding the bar and confined between the end ofchamber and a washer and stud at 14 secured on the bar 10. lhe spring 15 normally presses the bar 10 and lever towards position for catch engagement of the nose or offset 8 with the stud 5. The bracket 2 is best provided with a top plate 16 securedthereon for inclosing the chamber and protecting the interior from accumulations of lint and dirt, a portion of said plate projecting and having a slot 17 through which the lever 6 is arranged and. is thereby kept in proper relation and its movement limited by the length of the slot.

19 indicates an annular-flanged collar secured upon the shaft or axle D of the picker cylinder and arranged to revolve therewith. Said member 19 is provided on its periphery with bosses or projections 20 located to revolve in a plane coinciding with the position of the controller bar head 11, and with intervening spaces or portions 9 of less diameter.

The bar or controller element 10 is disposed between the catch lever 6 and collar member 19, and is of a dimension approxi: mately equaling their distance apart, less the amount of movement. required for dis engagement of the catch The member 19 is so proportioned that the circle traveled by theouter extremities of the projections 20 Will'just clear the head 11 of the bar 10, when the latter is at normal outward posi tion, that is, when the catch members 8 and 5 are engaged, as in Fig. 1; while the intervening spaces 9 between the bosses are of suficient depth to allow of the controller bar being moved far enough to permit disengagement or release of the catch.

The approaching surface on the bosses is best made inclined or rounded, so as to readily move the bar 10 if contacting therewith; but such contact is not constantly occurrent, since the spring 15 tends to keep the bar clear of the'bosses except an attempt is made to release the catch while the machine is running. 1

The cam or collar member 19 in the pres ent instance, is internally chambered or made in thimble form (see Figs. 3 and 4-.) so as to extend over the outwardly projecting end of bearing-box, in which the cylinder shaft D is journaled; but such thimble form would not in all instances be desired, hence an unchambered hub or disc-cam member with similar external essential form may be employed in any instance if preferred.

When arranged for operation upon a picker or similar machine it will be seen that while the cylinder is not revolving, and

either of the spaces 9 of the cam member beingin alinement with the bar 10, the retaining catch can be manually released at will by thehandle 6*, so that the cover or hood can be lifted for access to the cylinder. But, when the machine is in operation, the frequency of occurrence of the cam bosses 20 coming into line with the head of the bar 10 affords no instant of time sufficientfor a retraetive movement of said catch lever nose 8 from the stud 5, consequently the catch is automatically absolutely locked while the cylinder revolves, since any attempt at retractive movement would be resisted by the rapidly recurrent contacts of the bosses 20 with the head 11 of the bar.

The construction and organization as herein set forth results in a very efiicient, simple and desirable safety means; the change from un neaapao locked to locked relation is rendered auto matically dependent upon the running action of the machine itself, instead of depending upon the attention of an attendant since the covering cannot be released and lifted, carelessly or otherwise, while the picker cylinder is in operation. it modification in the catch, as shown in Fig. 6, may in some instances be more conveniently applied to the structure of some machines. Tn this modification, in lieu of the latching lever 6 pressed to engage the stud 5 by the controller-bar 10, the end of said bar is arranged to serve as a direct engaging bolt, thrust out from the stationary member A, or supporting bracket and engaging a recess or lug, carried on the cover or movable member B. The handle is fixed to the bar 10; but the control means, action and result are practically the same as above specified.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is 1. In a mechanism of the character specilied, the combination as described, with the revolvable picker cylinder, its axle shaft, axle supporting frame, and cylinder-cover ing hood; of a projecting catch-engaging stud fixed on said hood, an upstanding catch-lever its lower end pivotally fulcrumed in connection with the supporting frame, and its upper end formed as a handle and provided with an offset adapted to latch upon said stud, a collar-disk lined upon and revolving with the cylinder axle, the periphery of said disk provided with protuberant bosses and intervening spaces, an endwise movable bar supported in bearings between said collar-disk and the catch-lever, one of its ends adjacent to the bossed pe riphery of said collar-disk and its other end impinging against the back of said catchlever at a position intermediate its fulcrum and stud-engaging offset, and means for yieldably pressing said catch-lever towards the engaging stud.

2. Tn a safety device for picker-machines inchuling a standing body, rotatable picker cylinder, axle shaft, and liftable covering hood, of the character specified; the combiation as described, of an upwardly outstanding support bracket having a chambered head and laterally-seating foot with means for its attachment to the picker-machine body, a catch-engaging stud and Studsupporting plate for rigid attachment of said stud to the liftable covering hood, an upright hand-lever having its lower end pivotally fulcrumed upon said bracket and its upper partadapted to latch upon said catch-engaging stud, an annular-flanged collar element at the outer end of the axlebearing, for rotation with the picker-axle, its periphery formed with projecting outwardly inclined bosses and interval spaces, an endwise movable unitary bar mounted in and extending through the chambered said hand-lever Within a predetermined head of the bracket direct between. said 001- limit of movement, and means assembled lar element and hand-lever, its head adjawith the chambered head of the support 10 cent said collar, its outer end against said bracket for normally pressing said bar and lever, a chamber-inclosing plate secured hand-lever towards latch-engaging position.

upon the head of the bracket, said plate provided with means for loosely confining EDWIN H. MARBLE. 

